Prime Minister Rabuka meets Japan’s Minister for Defence

Prime Minister Honourable Sitiveni Rabuka held productive discussions with Japan’s Defence Minister, Mr Shinjiro Koizumi during a bilateral meeting on Wednesday 11th November.

Maritime resilience and humanitarian assistance featured prominently in the meeting which was held at the Ministry of Defence headquarters.

Prime Minister Rabuka told Minister Koizumi that Fiji deeply appreciates Japan’s ongoing support towards enhancing maritime resilience and humanitarian assistance across the Pacific.

Through its development agency, JICA, the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, Hon. Rabuka said Japan has contributed tremendously in human resource development and technical cooperation in Fiji and the Pacific’s maritime and vocational sectors.

Fiji remains committed to this collaboration through its recently opened Maritime Essential Services Centre in Lami. Through Japan’s technical assistance, the Centre could elevate national and regional maritime governance.

This work could be enhanced by rehabilitating and modernising the Fiji Naval Squadron’s Togalevu navy base, outside Suva, contributing directly to national maritime readiness, regional workforce development and safe navigation standards.

In the area of humanitarian assistance and disaster rehabilitation response, Prime Minster Rabuka and Defence Minister Shinjiro discussed emergency medical response capabilities and inter-island logistics and rapid disaster responses.

Prime Minister Rabuka added that all these support and partnership directly contributes to the implementation of the Ocean of Peace Declaration, in tandem with the other Pacific Island Forum’s initiatives of the Boe Declaration and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, which reinforces the Pacific’s collective commitment to peace, security and sustainable development.
In his response, Minister Koizumi paid tribute to Fiji’s leadership in the Pacific, and pledged Japan’s commitment to continuing defense cooperation between the two countries.

He noted that just last week, Fiji’s navy participated in the first ever joint exercise with the Japanese Navy and he’s looking forward to the 2nd Japan-Pacific Defence Dialogue in February next year.

Prime Minister was accorded a guard of honour at the Ministry of Defence headquarters as a prelude to his meeting with Minister Shinjiro.
Fiji and Japan are committed to further strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest.